It’s a sunshine showdown in Tampa Bay on Christmas Eve, and it’s a game that has some serious ramifications for both squads.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Jacksonville Jaguars are set to face off at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, and both teams are attempting to claim a division victory in the final frame of the season. Tampa Bay has won three straight while Jacksonville has lost three straight, and both are trying to secure their playoff spot while fending off their division rivals.
We spoke with Jaguars Wire’s Trevor Stites to talk about Trevor Lawrence, underrated players, offensive coordinators and more:
(AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
Stites: If the knee and ankle injuries have affected Lawrence, it’s been hard to tell. He’s looked mobile and still capable of driving the ball downfield. Ultimately, the talk of his struggles is mostly overblown. With a bad offensive line, a below-average defense, and a recently non-existent running game, the Jaguars are 8-6 due mostly to Lawrence and their propensity for forcing turnovers.
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Stites: It’s tough to boil down to a single thing. An already bad offensive line lost Cam Robinson at the end of November and then had Walker Little and Ezra Cleveland both dealing with injuries. The result has been three straight games with Travis Etienne failing to reach 50 rushing yards. There’s been communication issues on both sides of the ball too, leading to interceptions and blown coverages.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Stites: Many would argue he’s been a disaster, but I’m not sure there’s much more he could accomplish with a line that can’t get any push on the interior or prevent pressure up the gut. As for the play-calling switch, the answer is simply that Doug Pederson really loves Press Taylor. It was a fight for Taylor to become his offensive coordinator that got him fired by the Eagles. It wasn’t exactly a full handoff of duties in Jacksonville either — Taylor called plays after halftime during games in 2022.
[Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Stites: Aside from the aforementioned line injuries, the loss of Christian Kirk has been devastating and a significant factor in the three-game skid. In an offense that relies heavily on quick passing and finding holes in opposing secondaries, Lawrence has been without his most reliable option. Instead, he’s been working with a hobbled Zay Jones and an underwhelming Calvin Ridley.
USA TODAY Network
Stites: It’s kind of wild that Foye Oluokun isn’t more of a household name considering he has a real chance at leading the NFL in tackles for the third straight season. He isn’t just a tackle merchant either. Oluokun has 2.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, and a pick-six. If that’s an obvious one, keep an eye out for fast-rising rookie Antonio Johnson who keeps making plays as he’s getting worked into the mix on defense.
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Stites: The momentum isn’t in the Jaguars’ favor. Even if Lawrence plays, it’s not great to have just one limited practice and try to make things happen with a banged-up line and receiving corps. I’ll go Buccaneers 20, Jaguars 13.
